An encounter
by Negrath
Summary: An idle day becomes interesting in ways neither demon nor miko could ever have dreamed.


OK, listen up. This is -not- my first fanfic. not by a long shot. It IS my first IY-fic, though, and I find fanfic'ing such a series something of a challenge(which is why I tossed in peeps from another).

If I did good, tell me.

If I did bad, tell me.

If you can't care one way or the other, tell me.

If I should continue, tell me.

If I should drop dead and never write another word again, tell me.

Oh, and I don't own anything of this, other than the inspiration, the time I spent writing it, and the machine I wrote it on. Heck, I don't even own the connection I loaded this up through. :P

(and if I make any coin off of this whatsoever, noone will be more surprised than me, I assure you)

Reclinig against a tree, Inu Yasha watched with lax interest as Kagome prepared their dinner for the day. Having aquired the meat in question on her own for a change, the girl had left the halfblood with more than a little 'nervous energy', as she called it.

"You must not waste your arrows like that." he commented off-handedly, surprising himself. "I can get food much faster and easier...and it gives me something to do."

"Well, far be it from me to prevent you from keeping busy, but I'd rather not be stereotyped as your personal chef." she replied...no, retorted, making his eyebrow rise.

"What is it now?"

Pausing to look at him with the frown he had come to expect when he 'interrupted' her, she clarified; "I may have powers your kind cannot acchieve. I may be able to pluck apples from across the field, and I may be the only one able to really restrain you from breaking your own or someone else's neck on a whim, but who get's all the attention? Who gets acknowledged everywhere we go? Who is it who insists on clearing up every situation we stumble into alone?"

With a slow, condescending smile Inu Yasha nodded; "So that's how it is, eh? Well, I wouldn't have to do so much, to steal so much attention from you if you were half the miko you are supposed to have the potential to be."

"You sure you wan't me to reach my potential? Remind me what the last one of my potential did to you again?"

It was a cheap shot, a low blow of the highest order, but a variety of factors kept Kagome from taking it back, instead glaring at the dog-demon in a curiously half-hearted fashion. Inu Yasha himself merely looked back at her, expression blank.

After a few moments of staring at each other in this manner, the reincarnated priestess broke off, returning to her task, an almost inadible 'I'm sorry' only carried to Inu Yasha's sensitive ears by heartfelt intent. With a simple, quick nod, he turned his gaze on the sky above, leaning more fully against the tree as he let silence reclaim their momentary campsite...

They were back on the road a good half-hour later, having been in no hurry with no real places to go or indications of where a shard might be found. Sure, others might be gathering them as they sat there, and others again using them for purposes that would require all of Kagomes 'potential' to cleanse, but as they did not know where or how, there was nothing they could do. And true to his 'doggy' heritage, Inuyasha was not the sort to go haring off without good reason.

It was Kagome who saw it first, and pointed; "What is that?"

Looking where she indicated, Inu Yasha blinked and stumbled backward a few steps, staring; high in the sky and rapidly coming closer were a floating palace, shining with a pleasant, almost unnoticeable luster all it's own.

Kagome moved to take hold of her companion's cloak as she stared upward with him; did the thing plan to land -on- them?

Evidently not. Though it paused directly above them, impressing them with it's undeniable presence, and an aura of unobtrusive benevolence that warred with their instinctive awareness of it's mass, it moved on to settle -with surprisingly little noise, even to the hanyou's ears- near a not too distant cluster of trees.

Exchanging a look with each other, the miko and the demon turned off the path simultaneously, heading toward the structure with quick determined strides, though their individual reasoning where different; Inu Yasha wanted to make sure their task had not just become more difficult than it needed to be...and if necessarry make sure it didn't...while Kagome wanted to both find out what the thing was and what it was doing there...and if she could keep Inu Yasha from making his nigh-exclusively negative impression at the same time, so much the better.

What they saw as the big palace-thing came into view on the ground, stunned them profoundly. To Kagome's eyes, it seemed to be a community of demons, yet without the energysignature of such creatures anywhere in sight. Where her companion were a blazing fire in that regard, the beings wandering to and fro in front of the structure did not even register.

One pair in particular caught the young woman's attention, and held it. Inu Yasha becoming aware of her attention holding fixed on one point, followed her gaze, only to scoff at what he saw. "Cute, are they not?" he commented derisively, giving a smirk at the expected, brief glare it got him.

"You mean you don't see it?" she asked, surprising him, then shook her head. Of course not, there were no mirrors in this world. "Hold on."

Reaching around to rummage in her pack, she produced an oval disc with a shimmering surface; "Take a look, then look at them again."

Experimenting a bit with the thing, Yasha eventually figured how and where to hold it, studying what he knew to be himself in the...'mirror'?

Looking over at the pair by the great doors of the palace-thing again, he looked at himself again, aware that there was something he was missing.

"The arrogant one." she directed, and he focused on the arguably taller of the two, studying intently before looking at himself again...then the very act of it struck home; "You mean we are alike?" he asked the girl, puzzled at the annoyed way she took back the mirror; "I can't believe you don't see it. Step out there and greet them. I'll give you my shards if not at least half of them turn to look between you and him."

"You got a deal." he smirked, pleased at having learned the expression from her at an earlier occasion, and, after a bit of confusion at her extended hand, grinned as they shook on it.

While not quite as many as she'd expected looked back and forth, enough paused to stare that Kagome felt confident her point had been brought across.

The hush that reigned as the two near-lookalikes finally stood less that two feet apart went quite a bit beyond what was normal for the declaration of royal decisions.

Only belatedly Kagome realised that, while not quite as 'energetic' as her fellow traveller, the group now around them might very well be able to subdue them in a manner most unpleasant if goldenhair(the 'arrogant one') so decided. Hot on the heels of that thought came the concern that they might not be able to make themselves understood...a concern blown away the next instant as words she could not possibly have thought herself appeared in her head; Be welcome to this place, but know you only are so on account of the familiar appearance of your company.

Stammering, she found herself quite unable to form a coherent thought; They were welcomed because of -Inu Yasha-?

Granted, he was well on par with the outward perfection that seemed to be a genetic trait with them, but still...

The hanyou himself seemed not to have gotten any message, as he stared unblinking into the eyes of his opposite, who returned the favor with a puzzled expression. After another moment or two, he spoke; "As you do not appear to hear my thoughts, let me speak plainly; I am Cutter, chief of the Wolfriders. To what tribe do you belong, and how did you end up in this time?"

'he thinks Inu Yasha is of his kind!' Kagome thought in a half-daze, still slightly stunned that her companion had been the one to assure a peaceful greeting, if indirectly.

"I ended up in this time because it is my time!" the dog-demon replied, slightly sharper than his companion thought suitable. A frown on the faces around them enforced the notion, and she put a calming hand on the hanyou's shoulder, hoping he'd remember what it meant. "I am sorry for my friend's attitude. I am Kagome, and he is Inu Yasha. I do not think he belongs to any tribe, as such, as he is..." she trailed off, trying to find the proper words.

"A half-breed." Inu Yasha concluded for her, his voice dripping venom. "Born of a human woman and a demon father." snapping his wrist in trademark preparation, he sneered; "You have a problem with that?"

"We have ourselves been accused of being many things, demons most of all." the white-haired 'demon' at Cutter's right cut in with a strange sort of easy exitement; "If you are a product of a coupling between our two races, then you must know of..."

"I am not of your kind!" Inu Yasha bit him off, clenching his fist, more than likely to avoid striking the fellow.

'He is learning...' Kagome thought ironically, surprised when the other's thought replied; If he was worse before, then I am indeed glad for his improved state of mind. Might you be the one I ought to thank for still being on my feet?

Eyes wide with surprise, even as her cheeks flushed with the clear admiration accompanying the transmission, she looked to the chief's companion, and almost jumped as he winked, her flush deepening. 'One to watch out for, that..' she thought to herself, making sure that it was indeed only her own inner ears it reached.

The grin breaking out on the other's face would indicate she had not been entirely successful.

"My name is Skywise." he offered, stepping around his companion to extend his hand. Somewhat dumbfoundedly, she took it, shaking half-heartedly as he proceeded to converse her in a manner not unlike a certain priest she'd met, but with far cleaner intentions. She could tell that right off, as he somehow kept open a mental link between them, feeding her his unambiguous, pure approval of both her exterior and what he got to know of her interior.

Oh, she had no doubt he'd be more than happy to lead her off to some secluded area and 'have his way' with her...but she had the idea that he would be far more open about it than anyone she had heretofore met, something that made her feel all the more comfortable around him; with most men, their unwillingness to take advantage were an assumed quality at best...with this one, she were more aware of her option to say no and see it obeyed than she'd ever thought she could be.

Thus, she was hardly aware that Cutter and Inu-Yasha had gone inside the palace, and after a few moments, that she herself and Skywise had started in too, presumably to find their friends, still in more or less animated, yet silent conversation...

It was mind-numbingly beautiful...and back-chillingly disturbing.

Suspended between two swirling poles, themselves held suspended above holes in the floor that supposedly held them when they were...well, 'off', were a web of images, ever changing, ever moving, that threatened to make Kagome ill with meanings she only half understood.

That half of them seemed to represent something entirely different from pictures didn't help.

Beside her, Skywise spoke on, familiar with the initial reaction to the Scroll of Colors. After a few moments, Kagome forced herself to look over at the other pair in the room; by the mummy in a chair that Kagome half-heard to be the being that kept the scroll moving, Inu Yasha seemed to observe intently as his near-mirror image explained to him as Skywise did to her. She was amazed that the hanyou had yet to utter a single 'keh' that she had heard. Likely, he was testing Cutters patience in the mental department instead.

Curiously, though, neither seemed the least bit antagonistic toward each other, as though they were genuinely interested in communicating civilized thoughts and ideas.Or as if...

Kagome's eyes widened once more; could it be?

Taking an unconcious step forward, past her current 'partner', she studied the interaction by the chair more closely. Even the stances, even Inu Yasha's slight tilt of the head as he listened to the quite possibly more experienced Cutter...

Strangling a half-crazed giggle in her throat, she grabbed hold of Skywise, half steadying herself on him as she absently gave him a clear idea of why she was so unsteady.

The self-proclaimed stargazer blinked at her before looking where she still stared. Seeing nothing unusual about the scenario, he had to admit that, with some goodwill added, it had some resemblance to Cutter listening to Bearclaw. Imparting this on the guest he fondly thought of as his, he shared her humorous smile and even chuckled as she let another giggle escape.

Suddenly feeling a strong energysignature approaching, she sobered and looked toward the door of the chamber in time to see a dark-skinned man of the same, indeterminable age that seemed to count for all adults of these strange new people. His gaze flickered across them all, flashing dangerously as it did so. He did not like to see them there, not at all.

Remaining where he was, he set an even stare in Cutter, who turned with an angry twist of the head(Inu Yasha following suit as if on reflex) and snapped; "We are not going anywhere yet, Rayek. You rule here when we are gone, not otherwise. The palace belongs to us all, not just you."

Those eyes flashed with an emotion Kagome knew all too well in a similarly unapproachable person of her aquaintance and Inu Yasha's blood, and she found herself peering past Rayek as he spun and strode out, half-expecting to find her own nigh-lookalike waiting to enter behind him.

Hearing Cutter sigh and Inu Yasha speak in muttered agreement, as if about someone he'd known all his life, Kagome chuckled, mildly hysterical.

"Get me out of here, quckly." she muttered to Skywise, who lead her from the room in all due haste, not pausing to question.

Walking along the hall, they came to a stop as another darkskinned person approached them, this one a woman whose guarded benevolence on first aquantaince opened to brilliant smiles and an attitude of perfect approval arguably purer than that of Skywise, once Skywise had made introductions and given his recommendation.

The two women continued on, Kagome, being the guest, turning back to follow her newest friend, and hardly aware that Skywise looked after them with a wide, humorous grin.

Not really surprised at finding herself back in the room with the Scroll of Colors, the young miko watched as the woman excused herself to go over and speak to Cutter.

The smile that lit up the man's face made Kagome smile; she had expected as much. She blinked as he impulsively gave the newcomer an impromptu bearhug which she returned with a laugh. The expression on Inu Yasha's face made Kagome wish she had her camera, even as it tugged ever-so-slightly at her own heart.

The next moment she bit back a chuckle, though, as he unceremoniosuly plopped down on his rear to stare up at the two, mouth not quite agape.

"Please don't." she murmured on a mad impulse, half-afraid she'd end up seeing him take to the air with their new friends. Well did she appreciate the breath of fresh air their uncomplicated manner represented, but she was not sure she'd want to live in this great, all but barren construction. And flying through space in it? Plainly unthinkable!

He had heard, of course(as had Cutter and Leetah), and looked over at her, his puzzlement at her request overriding his awe at the pair in front of him and what they could represent.

Unable to stop herself, she ran over to kneel and gather him into a bearhug of her own; "Please don't leave me. I would love to live with them as much as anyone, but I don't want to live here. Please tell me you will stay with me down on earth? No offense." she shot up at the other two, who nodded, smiling as if they had expected nothing less.

"Leave you?" the hanyou parroted, frowning. "Have you forgotten the Shikon No Tama?"

Surprising herself by having to wipe away tears, she pulled back with a little laugh; "No of course not. How could I? It is why I am with you, is it not?"

"That, too." he acknowledged, with a crooked smile that still managed to indicate a few reasons quite apart from glittering pieces of solidified spirit..

Sharing a smile, they looked up at their friends...only to laugh, Inu Yasha more heartily than Kagome, at finding them crouched to be at their level.

Leetah reaching out to wipe away a few stray tears from the younger woman's face, smiling along with her mate at the common hilarity of the situation, Cutter put a hand on Inu yasha's shoulder in a perfectly companionable manner, both, impossbily, chuckling.

The pairs helping each other up, Kagome gave her friend a brief nudge in order to have him stop staring. Well was Leetah's smile impressive in every sense of the word, but still...

'Boys will be boys...' she thought wryly, surprised to feel an unambiguously female presence in her head counter with a knowing 'and girls will be girls, hm?'

Glancing guiltily at Cutter, she bowed her head as she looked away, blushing mightily. 'He is just so...-alike-...'. she tried to apologies, daring a smile as the other woman gave an easy chuckle; 'indeed'

The men -or rather, dog-demon and alien- looked at them, Inu Yasha crooking a puzzled brow, but did not comment.

Just as well, as Kagome had no inclination to demonstrate why he wore the rosary...

A few days later, Kagome had told the leading couple as much as she felt comfortable with about her own time, the time they were currently in and the many resemblances she had found between her own aquantances and the palace inhabitants...or 'elves' as they referred to themselves...and Inu Yasha had absorbed more information(he would never need) without comment than he probably ever had or would.

The miko and hanyou waved their goodbyes as their quest could be put off for only so long and no method their new friends knew of could help them locate the shards they still needed.They had promised to return in good time to spend another few days with the elves before the palace took off anew, on a quest of it's own.

They walked in silence for a long moment, each in deep thoughts of their own, but eventually Inu Yasha spoke up; "I could have gone with them, you know."

"I know. And I would not have blamed you."

"But we need to find the rest of the shards."

"Yes, we do."

"To make me a full demon."

"I know."

"It is why I bother to stay with you at all!"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

"Keh!"


End file.
